Eight teams remain in the NFL playoffs, with four games scheduled for this weekend. While there are fewer players on the field, the top players are still available in DraftKings DFS contests.
As you seek to maximize your DFS lineups, here is a look at a few players in line to outperform their price point to help give you an edge across this weekend’s slate. This article presents my top DFS lineup and the logic behind each selection.
Set your DraftKings fantasy football lineups here: NFL $2.25M Fantasy Football Millionaire [$1M to 1st]
Quarterback
Matthew Stafford ($6,600)
The Los Angeles Rams got a bit of a scare from a frisky Panthers team last week, but Matthew Stafford showed why he is a worthy MVP candidate by leading the team on a game-winning drive. Stafford finished the matchup by completing 24 of 42 pass attempts for 302 passing yards, three touchdowns and an interception. He tallied 26.2 fantasy points. This comes after a regular season in which the 37-year-old was second among all quarterbacks in fantasy production with 22 average fantasy points per game.
Los Angeles will now turn its attention to the Chicago Bears for the final game of the weekend. Chicago finished the regular season ranked 23rd in points allowed and 29th in yards given up. The Bears also rank 22nd in passing yards allowed, 28th in net yards per pass attempt, and 28th in passing touchdowns conceded. Weather is a concern, but the Rams are sure to put the ball in Stafford’s hands frequently and count on the former Super Bowl champion to have success against this vulnerable defense.
Other Considerations: Josh Allen ($7,100), Drake Maye ($6,300), Caleb Williams ($6,100), Bo Nix ($5,800), Brock Purdy ($5,600)
Running Back
Christian McCaffrey ($8,800)
Christian McCaffrey is worth paying $8,800. San Francisco’s roster has been depleted with injuries, and McCaffrey is the clear foundation of everything they do offensively. The former Offensive Player of the Year finished the regular season leading the 49ers in both rushing and receiving yards. He tallied 2,176 yards from scrimmage and 17 total touchdowns this season. He averaged 25.2 fantasy points per game, which led all players and was two full points more than any other running back in the league.
During the opening playoff matchup, McCaffrey tallied 48 rushing yards, 66 receiving yards and two receiving scores. His 29.4 fantasy points ranked sixth among all players. While Seattle offers a strong defense, McCaffrey is nearly a lock to see 20+ touches.
RJ Harvey ($6,200)
The Denver Broncos enjoyed the bye week and will now prepare to face off with the Buffalo Bills in this week’s postseason matchup. Sean Payton is likely to rely on the team’s rushing attack, since Buffalo struggles much more at stopping the run. The Bills ranked first in passing yards allowed, fifth in net yards per pass attempt, and sixth in passing touchdowns conceded. However, they ranked 28th in rushing yards allowed, 30th in net yards per rush attempt, and 31st in rushing touchdowns conceded.
While it took him some time to fully find his footing in the offense, RJ Harvey emerged as the Broncos’ top back by the end of the regular season. He finished with 146 rush attempts for 540 yards and seven rushing touchdowns, as well as 356 receiving yards and five scores through the air. After averaging just 5.0 rush attempts per game and playing in 29.1% of the offensive snaps through the first 10 games of the season, Harvey closed the year averaging 13.7 rushing attempts per game and playing 60.7% of the offensive snaps. Harvey averaged 12.2 fantasy points per game on the season, but 21+ fantasy points four times since Week 8. Expect Harvey to see additional touches due to the matchup and outperform his $6,200 price point.
Other Considerations: James Cook III ($7,300), D’Andre Swift. ($6,000), Woody Marks ($5,900), TreVeyon Henderson ($5,700), Ray Davis ($4,600)
Wide Receivers
Puka Nacua ($9,000)
The $9,000 price point of Puka Nacua is the highest of any player on the slate, and deservingly so. Nacua led the NFL in receptions this year with 129 on the season and posted a league-leading 107.2 receiving yards per game. The two-time Pro Bowler tallied 1,715 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns, with his 24.8 fantasy points per game ranking second among all players and 1.8 points per game more than any wide receiver. Nacua then followed this up by tallying 10 receptions for 111 receiving yards and a touchdown in the postseason opener. His 37.5 fantasy points led all players across Wild Card Weekend.
Nacua will have the benefit of facing this Bears’ defense, which ranks 22nd in passing yards allowed, 28th in net yards per pass attempt, and 28th in passing touchdowns conceded. They have been unable to slow down wide receivers all year.
Khalil Shakir ($5,100)
The Buffalo Bills have done Josh Allen a disservice by not providing him with adequate pass catchers. But the one player who he has continued to show trust in is Khalil Shakir. The fourth-year wideout was targeted heavily in the opening playoff performance, pulling in 12 receptions for 82 yards in the narrow victory over the Jaguars. This comes after a regular season in which Shakir led the team with 72 receptions for 719 yards and four receiving scores. He averaged 10.7 fantasy points per game in the regular season, which ranked 43rd, but tallied 20.2 fantasy points in the postseason opener.
It will be a tough matchup against Denver this week, but Allen is sure to put forth a herculean-like effort to give his team every chance he can. He needs some level of help alongside him, so expect Shakir to fill these shoes. It may not be flashy, but Shakir should be involved in the offense throughout.
Kendrick Bourne ($3,700)
While injuries have derailed a good bit of the 49ers’ offensive attack, it has created opportunities for those deeper on the depth chart. Kendrick Bourne has been one of the players to seize this opportunity, pulling in 37 receptions for 551 receiving yards on the season. His 6.1 fantasy points per game ranked third among wide receivers on the 49ers’ roster. Bourne was unable to catch a pass in the opening playoff matchup. However, expect the equation to change a bit following the injury to George Kittle.
Bourne is a bit of a boom-or-bust candidate, but has tallied 142 receiving yards in a pair of games this year. He was also not available for the first matchup against the Seahawks in the regular season. This is a risky play, but someone needs to step up in this San Francisco offense. To fit the top-dollar guys in the lineup (McCaffrey and Nacua), it is going to take some risks, and Bourne feels worth taking a chance on in this rivalry matchup.
Other Considerations: Davante Adams ($6,500), Courtland Sutton ($5,900), DJ Moore ($5,200), Christian Kirk ($4,100)
Tight End
Colby Parkinson ($3,700)
Colby Parkinson is a hero in Los Angeles this week after catching the game-winning 19-yard touchdown to secure the win over the Panthers. That was one of two catches for a total of 34 yards receiving. Parkinson has increasingly become a key part of this Rams’ offense as the season progressed, and will be called on in this matchup with the Bears. He finished the year with 42 receptions for 408 yards and eight receiving scores. The 27-year-old averaged 8.7 fantasy points per game this year, but 12.9 over the final nine games. He also has all eight touchdowns across this stretch and finished with 11.4-point fantasy points in the Wild Card game.
Other Considerations: Colston Loveland ($5,500), Dalton Kincaid ($4,300), Evan Engram ($3,500)
Flex
Dawson Knox ($3,300)
It is also a bit of a risk to go with two tight ends, but this is the price you pay when making sure the top studs remain in your lineup. Stars shine when the bright lights are on them, and this is a sacrifice worth making. But there is reason for optimism on Dawson Knox’s outlook in his own right. The 29-year-old finished the regular season with 36 receptions for 417 yards and four receiving touchdowns. He pulled in three receptions for 30 yards against the Jaguars and should see his role scaled up in this matchup.
While the Broncos have an impressive overall defense, they have been vulnerable against tight ends. They are allowing an average of 58.9 receiving yards per game and have allowed six touchdowns to the position this year. The lack of wide receiver talent has been increasingly evident as the season has progressed and Allen has been forced to rely on his tight ends at a greater rate. Knox has better receiving abilities than a lot of players at the position, so look for him to play a role in this postseason matchup.
Defense & Special Teams
New England Patriots ($3,600)
The New England Patriots will be facing the Houston Texans this week, who have a convincing case for the best defense in the league. Expect this to a low-scoring smash-mouth style of football in which points are difficult to come by in both directions. But for all the success that Houston has had defensively, their offense has left plenty to be desired. This is especially the case with their top wide receiver, Nico Collins, set to miss this week. While the Texans managed to blow out the Steelers 30-6 in the Wild Card matchup, two of these touchdowns came from the defense, and C.J. Stroud turned the ball over three times.
New England ranks fourth in points allowed and eighth in yards given up on the season, and will be able to hold its own against this struggling offense. Stroud’s turnover issues will likely remain an issue against such a stout defense.
Other Considerations: Texans ($3,400), Seahawks ($3,200), Broncos ($2,800)
